


Endless Apologies

by Disparatepeace



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Apologies, F/M, Fluff, Katara being sweet, Post-Episode: s03e16 The Southern Raiders, Tiny bit of Angst, Zuko being soft, Zutara Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25548223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Disparatepeace/pseuds/Disparatepeace
Summary: Zutara oneshot. Takes place after The Southern Raiders.
Relationships: Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	Endless Apologies

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, I know I mentioned sometime ago that writing ATLA and Zutara fanfiction was hard. But this idea had been sitting in my head all day and I just had to write it down. So yeah, this is nothing spectacular, just letting some creative juices flow.

Zuko was off by himself when Katara found him. Sitting on the cliff’s edge and just staring out at the expanse of the ocean, moon peaking out in the horizon and illuminating the body of water underneath it. 

She hesitated for a brief moment, before making her way towards him. Careful not to startle the boy, who had yet learned to fully let his guard down around his new companions.

“Zuko?” she called out softly. 

“Hey!” he responded, urging himself to relax more with Katara around. “Something wrong?”

The boy in question, turned to face her. A bit shocked to hear her voice calling to him of all people. But after all that’s happened as of late, he welcomed it. 

“Oh no no no...it’s not that..” she stammered out awkwardly, averting her eyes and biting her lip before continuing. 

“I just wanted to check on you, is all.”

Zuko raised a brow.

“Me? I’m just fine. If anything I should be checking on you. That was.....a lot for you to take in.”

“You’re right, it was.” Katara agreed as she began fidgeting in what seemed like anxiousness.

“To be honest, I don’t know how to feel. I don’t know if I should feel satisfied that I confronted that man and saw him for the coward that he was. Or angry at the fact that such a weak coward could cause me so much pain and anger for all these years.”

At that, Zuko finally stood up and made his way towards her.

“Whatever you might be feeling, just know that your feelings are completely valid. You can be angry as much as you want with him and you don’t have to move on or forgive so quickly. You just need to be at peace with yourself and the way you are right now.”

“Thanks Zuko.” Katara responded with a small smile.

But Zuko could still feel apprehensiveness coming from her. Which only concerned him more.

“What’s wrong?” he questioned her.

“I-ummm......I’m sorry!” she stumbled out her apology

Now Zuko was confused. Her apology completely caught him off guard.

“ _You’re_ sorry? For what?”

“For how I treated you. You went out your way and risked everything to teach Aang firebending. Then you helped Sokka free our dad from prison. You even helped me track down the man who killed my mother. But all I ever did was act like a jerk to you. You were right it wasn’t fair of me. And I’m sorry.”

Zuko merely shook his head and placed a hand on her shoulder as he reassured her.

“Katara. There’s _nothing_ you need to apologize for. You had every right to be upset and untrusting towards me. After all, you were the first person to not only trust me, but to see me for who I really was behind the mask of an angry banished prince and still want to reach out in spite of that. Yet all I did was betray the trust you were willing to give me and nearly got you and Aang killed. If anything I’m the one who should be apologizing to you for being so blind and cruel.”

Katara seemed to perk up more at that, but her face was still plagued with guilt.

“Still, those were some horrible things I said to you. Especially the first day you joined us. And I threatened you!”

Zuko merely shrugged.

“I’ve had worst things said both to me and about me. I mean, have you met my sister?”

Just being reminded of that crazy, blue fire-wielding witch made Katara cringe.

“Oh yeah. _Her_.” she remarked rather unpleasantly. “Sorry you had to deal with that.”

“I’ve gotten used to it.” Zuko responded off handedly. “I’m just glad that I don’t have to live in her shadow anymore. Or my father’s.”

Katara leaned in and grasped his hand into hers.

“You deserved so much better than what you had.”

Zuko took her hand and gave it a light squeeze in return.

“So did you.”

“Well I still had my brother, my dad and grandma. Along with the rest of my village.” Katara countered.

“You deserved your mother though.” Zuko practically whispered.

Katara took his hand again and held it to her cheek.

“We both did.” She said with a sad smile.

Zuko took a moment to reflect on his mother’s status and whereabouts. Knowing that she was alive and out there. And that once the battle with his father was done, nothing would stop him from finding her.

There was so much he wanted to ask her. So much he needed to know. And so many people he wanted her to meet.

He was pulled from his thoughts and brought back to the present. Specifically to the girl before him with ocean blue eyes that shone and glistened in the moonlight. And a gentle smile.

Zuko nearly blushed.

_‘Wow! Was she always this pretty?’_ He thought to himself, before he came to his senses and averted his eyes to avoid staring.

Instead, he turned his attention to the rising moon with Katara’s eyes following his gaze. Suddenly two dolphins leaped out of the ocean. ( _Note: Shit, are there dolphins in the Avatar universe? Or at least some hybrid dolphin creatures in the Avatar universe that I don’t know about? For the sake of the story let’s say there are._ ) They squeaked, chirped and practically danced around each other in the air.

Katara nearly squealed in delight. Zuko just smirked.

“Hey Zuko!” Katara called out to him suddenly. “Thank you. For your help.”

At that, Zuko gave her the most warm, genuine smile he’d ever given any of the other group members.

“Thank you for opening up to me, Katara.”

Katara rested her head on Zuko’s shoulder, her hand still grasping his. Zuko stiffened slightly, not use to the contact from her, before relaxing and easing into her touch. The two continued watching the moonrise together.

**Author's Note:**

> Just in time for Zutara Week too!!!! This is probably one of my first Zutara fics. And I really wanted to explore Zuko and Katara’s dynamic a little more post Southern Raiders. Sorry if my writing is rusty!


End file.
